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Still deciding about CNU 17?Here are 5 key reasons to make up your mind... today
Our early registration grace period ends tonight at midnight. It would be a shame for you to wait till tomorrow to realize CNU 17 is too good, too valuable, to miss. It would cost you the chance to save $80 or more on full registration, plus up to $20 on expert-led 202 sessions, in-depth Experiences and other special events. So to help you make up your mind, here are five key reasons to register now and join us in Denver.
Reason 5: It's Time to RetoolAs Doug Farr reminded us in this great CNU 17 video, now is the time to improve and sharpen plans that may have been "good enough" for a less demanding era — it's time to aim higher and lead communities back to healthy growth. With sessions that demystify the stimulus, give you the inside track on profound pro-urban demographic trends, and share value-adding techniques and strategies, CNU will make sure you are capitalizing on available opportunities as soon as possible.
Reason 4: The Ultimate Urban LaboratoryIt's no coincidence that Denver is the first city to twice host the biggest annual event in urbanism. The Front Range is leading the way in a reurbanization of America that is turning the cast-offs of automobile sprawl — dead malls, closed airports, abandoned city brownfields — into healthy, highly livable neighborhoods where a range of amenities are just a convenient walk, bike or transit-ride away. It's a big reason why Denver has avoided the market collapse seen in sprawling western regions like Phoenix and Las Vegas. And CNU is making the most of this opportunity, inspecting how top developments match up to the Charter (and why) through first-ever interactive Experiences and hosting a great set of urbanist-guided tours.
Reason 3: The Greatest Resource — Your Fellow UrbanistsAfter facing tough challenges over decades, CNU members are showing great resiliency. "New urbanists are now busy re-inventing the way in which they find work, do the work, and promote it. Perhaps the most important part of CNU 17 is not even on the agenda: It is the opportunities you will have to learn from others about what they are doing in informal discussions," says CNU board chair and accomplished urbanist Ray Gindroz. There is simply no substitute for joint support and problem-solving. There is the ever-growing Open Source Congress, perfect for tackling a problem you identify, and more and more structured networking opportunities. Helping CNU realize the emphasis the Charter puts on local history, climate, ecology, and building practice, CNU chapters are blooming across the country, with twelve officially recognized regional organizations serving members in diverse areas from Colorado to Florida. CNU's chapters will host informal meet-ups at various venues across downtown Denver. Go out for the evening and connect with other new urbanists from back home for networking and discussion.
Reason 2: Be Prepared When the Future ArrivesWhile practitioners of conventional planning and development have been caught flat-footed by recent setbacks, new urbanists have been well-prepared with resilient solutions — strategies that deliver greater quality of life and long-term return while proving more efficient to maintain, serve, and supply with energy. New urbanists are many steps ahead in planning for cutting-edge challenges others are just starting to confront, such as incorporating agriculture and urbanism, in accommodating density comfortably and reducing the carbon footprint of development, and designing homes that get the most from their smaller floor plans, walkable neighborhoods, and efficient ways with energy and resources. A few weeks ago, the Wall Street Journal featured Steve Mouzon, a participant in several CNU 17 sessions, with four other architects it asked to design homes of the future. And this week, NPR's Marketplace interviewed CNU co-founder and CNU 17 participant Liz Moule about designing homes for a "new American Dream." Only at CNU 17 can you join Liz and other top sustainability experts for an all-day insider-urbanist view of LEED for Neighborhood Development (the product of CNU's partnership with USGBC and NRDC) — so you'll be up to speed when it hits the market this fall.
Reason 1: Don't Just Take It from UsWe’ve been telling you for months: you can’t afford to miss CNU 17. But our speakers have their own reasons why you should attend, and they’re eager to tell you. We recently connected with five of this year’s nearly two hundred speakers and asked them about CNU 17 and new urbanism as a whole. Their answers are just as their sessions are certain to be: insightful and evocative. In the words of one speaker, it will have you wanting to say “Denver. 2009. I was there.”
Don't Forget the Deadline to Register and Save: Midnight Tonight!
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